The Journals of Jim Elliot ~ a book review

 

The Journals of Jim Elliot by Elisabeth Elliot is a book that I've been looking forward to reading.  I purchased the book last autumn and it had been on my bookshelf until January when I signed up for the TBR challenge over at MY READER'S BLOCK.  In order for a book to qualify for the challenge it had to be one that had been on my shelf previous to the beginning of the challenge.  This one definitely qualified!

Jim Elliot was a remarkable young man, filled with godly wisdom and a deep desire to serve his Lord.  He wasn't out to make a name for himself but his sole desire was to bring glory to God, not only in his preaching and ministry, but in his personal life as well.  "I do thank Thee that Thou hast not made me first a minister to men but first a priest toward Thee, to bring glory to Thee in the sanctuary." This was a journal entry from March 20, 1948 on his notes from Exodus 28. (page 40)  

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high (the father's tent) shall abide under the shadow of the almighty.  Their ability as builders in God's house rested upon their acquaintance with the Master Builder.....if I display earnestness for God's work, He will give strength and wisdom to accomplish it."  This was a journal entry from March 23, 1948 on his notes from Exodus 31. (page 42)

To share a bit of the depth of his desire to please God, I share this quote from September 3, 1948 when Jim was on his way to a conference of the Plymouth Brethren. "Thoughts came to me afresh as to "lifting up" Christ.  My preaching last month was on the whole service for service's sake.  Oh, how I thank Thee, Father for my earthly father who has seen the truth as to motives for service.  It is not the winning of souls nor the spreading of missions that should inflame me." (page 82)

October 21, 1949 finds Jim entering in his journal about something he learned that day.  "Today I learned the meaning of that word, "For of Him and through Him and unto Him are all things." (Romans 11:36) as it applies to circumstances.  Every surrounding factor in my environment is from Him.  The administration of it to my personality is through His doing.  The effect of it in me and as my person reverberates the experience is unto Him, for His glory.  I am not, therefore, called to be a slave of circumstance, for circumstance is His servant on my behalf, doing for me what He would do were He here to do it.  In being His servant for my good, circumstance becomes also my servant, and from this time henceforth I shall be a fool for doubting."  (page 171)

There is one quote that Jim Elliot is noted for and it's found on page 174 under the entry for October 28, 1949..."He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. "

I realize this review is getting a bit long, so I will share just one more quote that really spoke to me.  It's found on page 353 in the entry for December 5, 1951. It comes after he had preached that night and felt as though he hadn't prepared sufficiently, didn't have any liberty, or power.  "How sadly and how slowly I am learning that loud preaching and long preaching are not substitutes for inspired preaching."

Those are just a few of the entries that really spoke to my heart as I read.  As one might suspsect, the book read like a journal of Jim's life from January 1948 through December 31, 1955.  Two days later is when Jim, along with Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint and Roger Youderian set up a camp which they named "Palm Beach".  On January 6, 1956 the men's hopes were realized as two women and a man appeared out of the jungle!  They even spent hours with the missionaries.  All was looking as though the Indians were beginning to trust the missionaries.  It was just two days after this event that the five missionaries were speared to death.

I appreciated this book for so many reasons.  It has strengthened my faith, it encouraged my heart as I read of the love story between Jim and Elisabeth, and it helped me to understand where Jim stood theologically.

I would definitely recommend this book of 477 pages!  I have to admit that if the book had been edited by anyone other than Elisabeth I may have been a bit hesitant to read it simply because the details of their relationship were documented in Jim's journals.  Knowing that Elisabeth is the one that gave the go ahead (and why she did) on these particular entries helps me to understand her even better, as well as Jim and the struggles that he had.